STORIES
From urgent investigations to bold op-eds by global leaders, we bring you the stories shaping the lives of women and girls worldwide.
Somalia’s Women Have Endured Enough
The women I met in Somalia are doing everything possible to keep their families alive. The international community must do the same, writes Reena Ghelani, CEO of Plan International. Photo: Plan International
Syria’s Recovery Is Being Led by Women
Across a country emerging from nearly 14 years of war, Syrian women are rebuilding their families, communities, and futures from the ground up.
What is Life Really Like for Women and Girls Around the World?
The lives of women and girls are not side stories to the world’s crises — they are one of the clearest measures of where the world is headed.
What Motherhood Looks Like in Exile
From Mexico to Jordan to Ukraine, refugee mothers are rebuilding home under impossible circumstances, writes the CEO of USA for UNHCR.
The Hunger I Saw at the Sudan Border
In South Sudan, I met women who survived war only to arrive somewhere “safe” and discover there was no food left to give them.
A Deadline for the World to Act on Women’s Rights
A looming U.N. deadline is testing whether governments will act on the systematic repression of women—or let it stand, write the directors of the Women’s Rights Division at Human Rights Watch. Photo: Pixabay
Behind Closed Doors, Millions of Girls Are Working Instead of Learning
Across Africa, child domestic work remains one of the most invisible forms of exploitation faced by girls.
I Survived the Modeling Industry. The Epstein Files Should Expose It.
What happened to me as a teenage model was part of a system that funneled young women toward men like Jeffrey Epstein, writes Sara Ziff.
At the U.N.’s Annual Meeting on Women, the World Should Focus on Justice for Girls
As governments gather at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, they should prioritize ensuring that girls can access justice, writes Katherine la Puente of Human Rights Watch.
Egyptian Women Are Still Being Asked to Prove Their Virginity
In the wake of a former Egyptian MP’s call for mandatory “virginity tests” for female university students, the controversy has exposed a deeper reality: the enduring need to assert control over women’s bodies.
Girls and Young Women Are Key to Ukraine’s Recovery
As Ukraine enters its fifth year of war, the country’s recovery will depend on whether today’s girls and young women are given the support, skills and power to lead its rebuilding. Photo: Plan International
When a Regime Erases Women, the World Must Call It a Crime
Marzieh Hamidi, recipient of the 2026 International Women’s Rights Award at the Geneva Summit, argues the world must recognize gender apartheid as a crime under international law. Photo: CNN
FGM Laws Protect Girls. Who Heals the Women?
Ending female genital mutilation is about more than criminalization—it requires care, choice, and long-term support for the millions of women already living with its consequences. Photo: UNDP
The Vanishing Coverage of Women’s Lives Is a Policy Risk
When women’s stories disappear, so does the clearest record of truth, justice, and whether human rights truly exist.
They Called It Socialism. We Lived a Dictatorship.
From Caracas to Tehran, the people fighting for freedom are asking the same thing: stop protecting our dictators and start listening to those who live under them.
As Iranians Rise Up, the World is Silent
Iran’s latest uprising reveals a stark gap between the courage of its people and the response of the international community, writes Marzieh Hamidi. Photo: Middle East Images / AP
What Is a Shadow Report, and Why Does It Matter So Much for American Women?
Once a tool of last resort for women living under authoritarian regimes, shadow reports are now turning the lens inward—on American democracy. Photo: Oleksandr Voloshynskyi
The Geopolitics of Aid Cuts Are Reshaping Women’s Safety Across the Middle East and North Africa
With Western support receding, women-led organizations in the Middle East and North Africa are being pushed to the brink. More to Her Story sits down with five women leaders from across the region. Photo: Alexander Farnsworth
We Know the Development Finance System is Broken for Girls. Here’s a Blueprint to Fix It.
When we fund outcomes for girls, we don’t just save lives — we reshape a continent’s trajectory, write the leaders of FP2030 and Tiko.
The Office of Global Women’s Issues is Gone. America is Less Safe Because of it.
Eliminating the State Department office that implemented the bipartisan Women, Peace, and Security Act didn’t save money; it erased decades of expertise that made the U.S. and its allies safer. Photo: U.S. Department of State